How could sales force automation affect salesperson productivity marketing management and competitive advantages?

Answer 1

If you automate non-compelling marketing campaigns in an ineffective attempt to motivate incompetent sales people you are simply accelerating the pace at which the marketplace discovers the weaknesses in your offerings, capabilities and/or service and support.

Most salesforce automation (SFA) implementations I have endured became little more than spreadsheet-producing beating sticks that worried and inept sales managers use to beat more inflated pipeline guesses out of their scared, under-quota sales people that become more creative during a sales meeting than Darren Stephens explaining to his boss on "Bewitched" why there is a monkey wearing a tutu while riding a donkey in his living room.

Now the good news: "Perfect practice makes perfect." John Wooden used to stress this during his championship run at UCLA. If you create and automate tested, effective campaigns with proven "next steps" that are triggered by key events, i.e. a prospect downloads a free report or white paper or signs up for a webinar or seminar, your sales staff will become exponentially more productive and profitable for your organization.

And in sales it's all about compressing sales cycles. If you can do more, faster and better with fewer people you will bury your competition and dominate your segment and/or region in no time flat.